He blinked. "Maybe."
I turned to look at him. "Maybe? Are you hungry or not?"
"Well. . .that depends.”
“On what?”
“Areyougoing to makemesomething?"
"Of course. Do you want to eat?”
He stared at me for a few seconds and then whispered, “Yes.”
“What do you usually eat for breakfast?"
He shrugged. "Whatever's around."
"Okay, but do you have a favorite dish?"
He rattled off a few Japanese breakfast staples—miso soup, grilled fish, tamagoyaki. Then he paused. "But I want you to make something thatyoulike to cook in the morning."
Something warm spread through my chest. "I'm big on Eggs Benedict."
"That sounds delicious."
"Alright. Let's try and figure this place out while you continue to explain to me the hierarchy of Kenji's inner circle."
He smiled back, and I realized this was probably the most relaxed I'd seen him since I arrived.
I wanted to ask him about the sake, about why he'd been sleeping in the kitchen instead of his bedroom. But I wouldn't push. Not yet. He was opening up in his own way, and that was enough.
We started moving through the aisles, gathering ingredients. English muffins that were clearly imported and expensive. Eggs that were labeled organic, from some farm I'd never heard of. Canadian bacon. Butter. Lemons for hollandaise sauce.
One of my guards hurried forward with a large cloth bag. "This may help.”
“Aww. This is perfect. Thank you.”
The guard walked by my side and I realized that he probably brought the bag because he still wasn’t sure if I should be so close to Hiro. Surely, he was still nervous from that altercation.
Meanwhile, Hiro took the bag before I could grab it from the guard and then began placing the items inside. The gesture was so unexpectedly thoughtful that it made me smile wider.
We continued down the aisles.
White vinegar for poaching the eggs.
Paprika.
Cayenne.
Salt.
Hiro led me down another aisle. "Next, we have the Fangs."
"Okay."
"The Fangs are important because the Fangs are in the Dragon's mouth. So once the Roar comes out, the Fangs follow."
“That makes sense.”
